Andromeda mythology

Andromeda is a central figure in Greek mythology, best known as the princess of Aethiopia who is rescued from a sea monster by the hero Perseus. Her story, preserved in sources such as Ovid’s Metamorphoses, Apollodorus’ Bibliotheca, and various lost Greek tragedies, became one of antiquity’s most influential myths. It inspired a long artistic tradition and shaped later “princess-and-monster” narratives, eventually feeding into medieval and Renaissance retellings and the visual culture of Europe. The constellation Andromeda also commemorates her mythic ordeal.

Etymology

The name Andromeda is Greek, traditionally interpreted as “she who rules over men” or “mindful of her husband,” deriving from anēr/andros (man) and verbs meaning “to think upon,” “to protect,” or “to deliberate.” These linguistic roots connect with themes of counsel and agency found elsewhere in Greek myth, including the etymology of Medea’s name.

Central Myth

Andromeda is the daughter of Cepheus, king of Aethiopia, and Cassiopeia, its queen. In most versions, Cassiopeia incites divine anger by boasting that either she or her daughter surpasses the Nereids in beauty—an act of hubris unacceptable to the gods. As punishment, Poseidon sends the sea monster Cetus to devastate the kingdom.
Seeking relief, Cepheus consults the oracle of Amun, who declares that only the sacrifice of Andromeda will appease the god. She is stripped and chained to a rock at the coast near Joppa (modern Jaffa) to await her death.
At this moment Perseus—returning from slaying Medusa and carrying her petrifying head—flies over Aethiopia on winged sandals (or mounted on Pegasus, in later versions). He falls in love with Andromeda at first sight and strikes a bargain with Cepheus: he will rescue her if he may marry her. Perseus slays Cetus, variously with Medusa’s head or with his sword, and frees Andromeda.
Their wedding is disrupted by Phineus, Cepheus’ brother and Andromeda’s former betrothed, who attacks Perseus with supporters. Perseus exposes Medusa’s head, turning them into stone.
Afterwards Andromeda accompanies Perseus to Seriphos, where he liberates his mother Danaë, and later to Argos, where events lead to Perseus’ kingship in Tiryns. They are said to have had several children—Perses, Alcaeus, Heleus, Mestor, Sthenelus, Electryon, and Gorgophone—forming the Perseid dynasty that ruled Mycenae and produced figures such as Heracles.
Athena later places Andromeda in the night sky as the constellation Andromeda, depicted with her limbs outstretched as when chained.

Variants of the Myth

Ancient sources preserve numerous variations:

• Hyginus has Perseus rescue Andromeda without prearranged marriage terms, prompting later conflict with Cepheus and Phineus.
• Ovid retains Medusa’s head but describes Perseus killing Cetus with his sword.
• Lucian (2nd century AD) gives the earliest direct account of Perseus petrifying Cetus.
• Tzetzes claims that Cetus swallowed Perseus, who hacked his way out.
• Conon rationalises the story: Andromeda is abducted by pirates in a ship named Cetus, and Perseus defeats them without supernatural elements.

These variations illustrate the myth’s flexibility and its continuous reinterpretation.

Representation in Classical Art

From antiquity onward, the Andromeda myth appeared in vase paintings, reliefs, frescoes, and mosaics. Early Greek art often focused on Perseus and Medusa; by the Classical and Roman periods, the rescue of Andromeda had become a favoured theme. Artists depicted:

• Andromeda bound to a rock
• Perseus confronting or slaying the monster
• Narrative scenes where Perseus appears twice within a single composition

Her iconography eventually influenced medieval representations of female captives and heroic liberators.

Constellations

The myth is embedded in the northern sky, forming a celestial tableau:

• Andromeda (the chained maiden)
• Perseus (the hero)
• Cepheus (her father)
• Cassiopeia (her mother)
• Cetus (the sea monster)
• Pegasus (Medusa’s offspring, often linked to Perseus)
• Pisces, associated with Dictys, who rescued Danaë

Together they constitute one of the most elaborately mythologised sections of Ptolemy’s star catalogue.

Later Tradition and Cultural Reception

From the Renaissance onward, renewed interest in classical mythology led to widespread artistic depictions of Andromeda’s rescue. Painters such as Titian, Rubens, and Ingres reinterpreted the myth, often emphasising female nudity and male heroism. Critics including Patricia Yaker Ekall have highlighted how these portrayals frequently whitewashed a princess explicitly described by Ovid as being from Aethiopia, and how the rescue narrative reinforced patriarchal themes of female vulnerability and male power.
Literary and artistic adaptations proliferated: George Chapman’s Andromeda Liberata (1614), operas, Romantic-era poetry, and modern films all draw on the myth or its motifs. In narrative tradition, the story is often cited as a precursor to the “princess and dragon” archetype.